
Class r"4?7 
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A BRIEF HISTOR 




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OF THE 






EARLY SETTLEMENT OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY. 



BEING 



THE SUBSTANCE OF A LECTURE, DELIVERED BEFORE THE 
LANCASTER LITERARY INSTITUTE,- 



WITH ADDITIONAL FACTS 



• 



BY GEORGE SANDERSON, ESQ. 



LANCASTER: 

PUBLISHED BY THOMAS WETZLER. 



1851. 



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SCOTT & BASCOM, PRINTERS, COLUMBUS, 0. 



A BRIEF HISTORY 



OF THE 



EARLY SETTLEMENT OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY. 



BEING 



THE SUBSTANCE OF A LECTURE, DELIVERED BEFORE THE 
LANCASTER LITERARY INSTITUTE, 



WITH ADDITIONAL FACTS 



BY GEORGE SANDERSON, ESQ. 




*• LANCASTER: 

PUBLISHED BY THOMAS WETZLER 
1851. 



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5^3 



APPROBATORY REMARKS. 



The foregoing Lecture was published in the Lancaster papers soon 
after its delivery. James Percival, Esq., the then editor of the Lan- 
caster Gazette and Express, introduced it to his readers in the following 
approbatory and truthful remarks : 

' ' Our paper of this week, as will be seen, contains nothing like its 
usual variety, but is mostly filled with a Lecture of our fellow-townsman, 
G-en. Geo. Sanderson, on the early settlement of this town and its vi- 
cinity. This, it is presumed, no one will regret, for there can be no 
subject more interesting to the present inhabitants of this county, than a 
faithful history of the incidents and events connected with the first set- 
tlement of the American wilds, and more particularly with those that oc- 
curred on the spot where we now dwell in peace and undisturbed tran- 
quility, surrounded by all the comforts and plenty found in the older 
settled portions of the east. In the recital of the facts here recorded, 
the present and succeeding generations are made acquainted with the 
perils and hardships which the first settlers endured for their sakes ; for 
it is not often that the father of a family undertakes the dangers and 
sufferings of a frontier life for his own benefit, but for the sake of his 
children and their descendants. 

' ' The actors in the scenes so well described in the history under con- 
sideration, have mostly passed away ; and had not the man, to whom we 
are indebted for this Lecture, undertaken the task of embodying, and 



6 

giving to the public so many interesting facts, many of them would have 
been lost forever ; for he is now almost the only living witness of the 
scenes and times spoken of — we will venture to say, the only one who 
is competent to the task of collecting and arranging them for public use. 
As the manners that prevail, and the customs observed are nearly the 
same in all new settlements, we can say from much experience and per- 
sonal observation, that the Lecturer has confined his descriptions to sim- 
ple facts — nothing has been added by way of embellishment. In all 
new settlements the inhabitants are remarkably kind and neighborly, 
though they may have previously been entire strangers to each other. 
Knowing their mutual dependence they live almost like one family, each 
rendering to his neighbor all the kind offices in his power. Articles of 
food, in particular, are divided with a generous hand, and the owner 
never reserves any portion to himself while a neighbor is destitute. As 
it respects kindness to each other and mutual dependence, the denizens 
of the woods seem to have escaped the curse of Adam's fall." 



LECTURE. 



The present generation can form no just conceptions of the wild and 
wilderness appearance of the country in which we now dwell, previous 
to its settlement by white people ; it was, in short, a country, 

" Where nothing dwelt but beasts of prey, 
And men more wild and fierce than they." 

The lands watered by the sources of the Hockhocking river, and now 
comprehended within the present limits of the county of Fairfield, were, 
when first discovered by some of the early settlers at Marietta, owned 
and occupied by the Wyandotte tribe of Indians, and were highly prized 
by the occupants as a valuable hunting ground, being well filled by al- 
most all kinds of game, and animals of fur. The principal town of the 
nation stood along the margin of the prairie between the south end of 
Broad street and Thomas E wing's canal basin of the present town of 
Lancaster, and extending back to the base of the hill south of the Metho- 
dist Episcopal church. It is said that the town contained in 1790 about 
one hundred wigwams, and a population of five hundred souls. It was 
called Tarhe, or, in English, the Cranetown, and derived its name from 
that of the principal chief of the tribe. The chief's wigwam in Tarhe, 
stood upon the bank of the prairie, near where the fourth lock is built 
on the Hocking canal, and near where a beautiful spring of water flow- 
ed into the Hockhocking river. The wigwams were built of the bark 
of trees, set on poles in the fonn of a sugar camp, with one square open, 
fronting a fire, and about the heighth of a man. The Wyandotte tribe 
numbered at that day about five hundred warriors, and were a ferocious 
and savage people. They made frequent attacks on the white settle- 
ments along the Ohio river — killing, scalping and capturing the settlers 
without regard to age, sex, or condition. War parties, on various oc- 
casions, attacked flat boats descending the river, containing emigrants 
from the middle States, seeking new homes in Kentucky, by which, in 



8 

many instances, whole families become victims to the scalping knife and 
tomahawk. By the treaty of Greenville, in 1795, the Wyandottes ce- 
ded all their possessions on the Hockhocking river to the General Gov- 
ernment, and since that time have kept up a friendly intercourse with 
the white people. The Crane chief, soon after the treaty, with many of 
the tribe, removed and settled at Upper Sandusky — others remained 
behind for four or five years after the settlement of the county, as if un- 
able, or unwilling to tear themselves away from the graves of their fore- 
fathers, and their favorite hunting grounds. They were, however, so 
peaceably disposed towards the settlers that no one felt willing to drive 
them away. In process of time the game and fur become scarce and 
the lingering Indian, unwilling to labor for a living, was forced by stern 
necessity to quit the country and take up his abode with those of his 
tribe that had preceded him at Upper Sandusky. The Crane chief had 
a white wife in his old age. She was Indian in every sense of the word, 
except her fair skin, and red hair. Her brief history, as far as I have 
been able to learn, was this : Taehe in one of his predatory excursions 
against the early settlers, on the east side of the Ohio river, near Wheel- 
ing, had taken her prisoner, and brought her to his town on the Hock- 
hocking river — she was then about eight years of age, and never hav- 
ing been reclaimed by her relatives or friends, remained with the nation, 
and afterwards become the wife of her captor. 

I have been furnished by an esteemed friend with the following thrill- 
ing narrative of a visit of two gallant scouts to the spot where the town 
of Lancaster now stands — their successful fight with the Indians upon 
Mount Pleasant, then called the Standing Stone — re-capture of a fe- 
male prisoner, and their narrow and perilous escape from their wary 
enemy. 

As early as the year 1790, the block-house and stockade, above the 
mouth of the Hockhocking river, was a frontier post for the hardy pio- 
neers of the North- Western Territory, now that portion of our State from 
the Hockhocking to the Scioto, and from the Ohio river to our northern 
lakes. Then nature wore her undisturbed livery of dark and thick for- 
ests, interspersed with green and flowry prairies. Then the axe of the 
woodman had not been heard in the wilderness, nor the plough of the 
husbandman marred the beauties of the prairies. Among the many rich 
and luxuriant valleys, that of the Hockhocking was pre-eminent for na- 
ture's richest gifts — and the portion of it whereon Lancaster now stands 
was marked as the most luxuriant and picturesque, and became the seat 
of an Indian village, at a period so early, that the "memory of man 



runneth not parallel thereto." On the green sward of the prairie was 
held many a rude gambol of the Indians ; and here too was many an as- 
semblage of the warriors of one of the most powerful tribes, taking coun- 
cil for a " war path " upon some weak or defenceless frontier post. Up- 
on one of these war stirring occasions, intelligence reached the little 
garrison above the mouth of the Hockhocking, that the Indians were 
gathering in force some where up the valley, for the purpose of striking 
a terrible and fatal blow on one of the few and scattered defences of the 
whites. A council was held by the garrison, and scouts were sent up 
Hockhocking, in order to ascertain the strength of the foe, and the 
probable point of attack. In the month of October, and one of the 
balmiest days of our Indian summer, two men could have been seen 
emerging out of the thick plumb and hazle bushes skirting the prairie, 
and stealthily climbing the eastern declivity of that most remarkable 
promonotory now known as Mount Pleasant, whose western summit 
gives a commanding view to the eye of what is doing on the prairie. 
This eminence was gained by our two adventurous and hardy scouts, and 
from this point they carefully observed the movements taking place on 
the prairie. Every day brought an accession of warriors to those already 
assembled, and every day the scouts witnessed from their eyrie, the 
horse-racing, leaping, running and throwing the deadly tomahawk by 
the warriors. The old sachems looking on with indifference — the squaws, 
for the most part, engaged in their usual drudgery, and the pappooses 
manifesting all the noisy and wayward joy of childhood. The arrival of 
any new party of warriors was hailed by the terrible war whoop, which 
striking the mural face of Mount Pleasant, was driven back into the 
various indentations of the surrounding brooks, producing reverberation 
on reverberation, and echo on echo, till it seemed as if ten thousand 
fiends were gathered in their orgies. Such yells might well strike 
terror into the bosoms of those unaccustomed to them, — to our scouts 
these were but martial music — strains which waked their watchfulness, 
and newly strung their iron frames — from their early youth had they 
been always on the frontier, and therefore well practiced in all the sub- 
tlety, craft and cunning, as well as knowing the ferocity and blood-thirs- 
ty perseverance of the savage. They were therefore not likely to be 
circumvented by the cunning of their foes \ and without a desperate 
struggle, would not fall victims to the scalping knife. On several oc- 
casions, small parties of warriors left the prairie, and ascended the 
Mount j on which occasions our scouts would hide in the fisures of the 
rocks, or lying by the side of some long prostrate tree, cover themselves 



10 

with the sear and yellow leaf, and again leave their hiding places when 
their uninvited visitors had disappeared. For food they depended on 
jerked venison, and cold corn-bread, with which their knapsacks had 
been well stored. Fire they dare not kindle, and the report of one of 
their rifles would bring upon them the entire force of the Indians. For 
drink they depended on some rain water, which still stood in the exca- 
vations of the rocks, but in a few days this store was exhausted, and 
M'Clelland and White must abandon their enterprize or find a new 
supply. To accomplish this most hazardous affair M'Clelland being 
the elder, resolved to make the attempt — with his trusty rifle in his 
grasp, and two canteens strung across his shoulders, he cautiously de- 
scended to the prairie, and skirting the hills on the north as much as 
possible within the hazle thickets, he struck a course for the Hockhock- 
ing river. He reached its margin, and turning an abrupt point of a hill, 
he found a beautiful fountain of limpid water, now known as the Cold 
Spring, within a few feet of the river. He filled his canteens and re- 
turned in safety to his watchful companion. It was now determined to 
have a supply of fresh water every day, and this duty was to be per- 
formed alternately. On one of these occasions, after White had filled 
his canteens, he sat a few moments, watching the limpid element, as it 
came gurgling out of the bosom of the earth — the light sound of foot- 
steps caught his practiced ear, and upon turning round, he saw two 
squaws within a few feet of him ; these, upon turning the jet of the hill, 
had thus suddenly come upon him. The elder squaw gave one of those 
far-reaching whoops, peculiar to the Indians. White at once compre- 
hending his perilous situation, — for if the alarm should reach the camp, 
he and his companion must inevitably perish. Self-preservation impell- 
ed him to inflict a noiseless death on the squaws, and in such a manner 
as to leave no trace behind. Ever rapid in thought, and prompt in ac- 
tion, he sprang upon his victims with the rapidity and power of a pan- 
ther, and grasping the throat of each, with one bound he sprang into the 
Hockhocking, and rapidly thrust the head of the elder woman under the 
water, and making strong efforts to submerge the younger, who, howev- 
er powerfully resisted. During the short struggle, the younger female 
addressed him in his own language, though almost in inarticulate sounds. 
Releasing his hold, she informed him, that ten years before, she had 
been made a prisoner, on Grave Creek flats, and that the Indians, in 
her presence, butchered her mother and two sisters ; and that an only 
remaining brother had been captured with her, who succeeded, on the 
second night, in making his escape ; but what had become of him, she 



11 

knew not. During this narrative, White, unobserved by the girl, had 
let go his grasp on the elder squaw, whose body soon floated where it 
would not, probably, soon be found. He now directed the girl hastily 
to follow him, and with his usual energy and speed, pushed for the 
Mount. They had scarcely gone two hundred yards from the spring, 
before the alarm cry was heard some quarter of a mile down the stream. 
It was supposed that some warriors returning from a hunt, struck the 
Hockhocking just as the body of the drowned squaw floated past. White 
and the girl succeeded in reaching the Mount, where M'Clelland had 
been no indifferent spectator to the sudden commotion among the In- 
dians, as the prairie parties of warriors were seen to strike off in every 
direction, and before White and the girl arrived, a party of some twen- 
ty warriors had already gained the eastern acclivity of the Mount, and 
were cautiously ascending, carefully keeping under cover. Soon the 
two scouts saw the swarthy faces of the foe, as they glided from tree to 
tree, and rock to rock, until the whole base of the Mount was surround- 
ed, and all hopes of escape cut off. 

In this peril nothing was left, other than to sell their lives as dearly 
as they could ; this they resolved to do, and advised the girl to escape to 
the Indians, and tell them she had been a captive to the scouts. She 
said " No ! Death, and that in presence of my people, is to me a thou- 
sand times sweeter than captivity — furnish me with a rifle, and I will 
show you that I can fight as well as die. This spot I leave not ! — here 
my bones shall lie bleaching with yours ! — and should either of you es- 
cape, you will carry the tidings of my death to my remaining relatives.'' 
Remonstrance proved fruitless, — the two scouts matured their plans for a 
vigorous defence — opposing craft to craft ; expedient to expedient, and 
an unerring fire of the deadly rifle. The attack commenced in front 
where, from the narrow backbone of the Mount, the savages had to ad- 
vance in single file, but where they could avail themselves of the rocks 
and trees. In advancing, the warrior must, however be momentarily 
exposed, and two bare inches of his swarthy form was target enough for 
the unerring rifle of the scouts. After bravely maintaining the fight in 
front, and keeping the enemy in check,. they discovered a new danger 
threatening them. The wary foe now made evident preparations to at- 
tack them in flank, which could be most successfully and fatally done 
by reaching an isolated rock lying in one of the ravines on the southern 
hill side. This rock once gained by the Indians, they could bring the 
scouts under point blank shot of the rifle, without the possibility of es- 
cape. Our brave scouts saw the hopelessness of their situation, which 



12 

nothing could avert but a brave companion and an unerring shot — them 
they had not. But the brave never despair. With this certain fate 
resting upon them, they continued calm, and as calculating, and as un- 
wearied as the strongest desire of vengeance on a treacherous foe could 
produce. Soon M'Clelland saw a tall and swarthy figure preparing to 
spring from a cover so near the fatal rock, that a single bound must 
reach it, and all hope be destroyed. He felt that all depended on one 
advantagious shot, although but one inch of the warrior's body was ex- 
posed, and that at a distance of one hundred yards — he resolved to 
risk all — coolly he raised his rifle to his eye, carefully shading the sight 
with his hand, he drew a bead so sure, that he felt conscious it would 
do — he touched the hair trigger with his finger — the hammer come 
down, but in place of striking fire, it crushed his flint into a hundred 
fragments ! Although he felt that the savage must reach the fatal rock 
before he could adjust another flint, he proceeded to the task with the 
utmost composure, casthig many a furtive glance towards the fearful 
point. Suddenly he saw the warrior stretching every muscle for the 
leap — and with the agility of a deer he made the spring — instead of 
reaching the rock he sprung ten feet in the air, and giving one terrific 
yell he fell upon the earth, and his dark corpse rolled fifty feet down the 
hill. He had evidently received a death shot from some unknown hand. 
A hundred voices from below re-echoed the terrible shout, and it was 
evident that they had lost a favorite warrior, as well as being foiled for 
a time in the most important movement. A very few moments proved 
that the advantage so mysteriously gained would be of short duration ; 
for already the scouts caught momentary glimpses of a swarthy warrior, 
cautiously advancing towards the cover so recently occupied by a fellow 
companion. Now too, the attack in front was resumed with increased 
fury, so as to require the incessant fire of both scouts, to prevent the 
Indians from gaining the eminence — and in a short time M'Clelland 
saw the wary warrior behind the cover, preparing for a leap to gain the 
fearful rock — the leap was made, and the warrior turning a summerset, 
his corpse rolled down towards his companions — again a mysterious 
agent had interposed in their behalf. This second sacrifice cast dismay 
into the ranks of the assailants ; and just as the sun was disappearing 
behind the western hills, the foe withdrew a short distance, for the pur. 
pose of devising new modes of attack. The respite came most seasona- 
ble to the scouts, who had bravely kept their position, and bravely main- 
tained the unequal fight from the middle of the day. 



13 

Now, for the first time, was the girl missing, and the scouts supposed 
that through terror she had escaped to her former captors, or that she 
had been killed during the fight. They were not long left to doubt, 
for in a few moments the girl was seen emerging from behind a rock, 
and coming to them with a rifle in her hand. During the heat of the 
fight she saw a warrior fall, who had advanced some fifty yards before 
the main body in front. She at once resolved to possess herself of his 
rifle, and crouching in the undergrowth she crept to the spot, and suc- 
ceeded in her enterprise, being all the time exposed to the cross-fire of 
defenders and assailants — her practiced eye had early noticed the fatal 
rock, and her's were the mysterious hands by which the two warriors had 
fallen — the last being the most wary, untiring and blood-thirsty brave 
of the Shawnese tribe. He it was, who, ten years previous, had scalp- 
ed the family of the girl, and been her captor. 

In the west, dark clouds were now gathering, and in an hour the whole 
heavens were shrouded in them. This darkness greatly embarrassed 
the scouts in their contemplated night retreat, for they might readily 
loose their way, or accidentally fall on their enemy — this being highly 
probable, if not inevitable. An hour's consultation decided their plans, 
and it was agreed that the girl, from her intimate knowledge of the lo- 
calities, should lead the advance a few steps. Another advantage might 
be gained by this arrangement, for in case they should fall in with some 
out-post, the girl's knowledge of the Indian tongue, would, perhaps, ena- 
ble her to deceive the sentinel j and so the sequel proved, for scarcely 
had they descended one hundred feet, when a low ' ' whist, ' ' from the 
girl, warned them of present danger. The scouts sunk silently to the 
earth, where, by previous agreement, they were to remain till another 
signal was given them by the girl — whose absence for more than a quar- 
ter of an hour now began to excite the most serious apprehensions. At 
length she again appeared, and told them that she had succeeded in re- 
moving two sentinels, who were directly in their route, to a point some 
hundred feet distant. The descent was noiselessly resumed — the level 
gained, and the scouts followed by their intrepid pioneer for half a mile 
in the most profound silence, when the barking of a small dog, within 
a few feet, apprized them of a new danger. The almost simultaneous 
click of the scout's rifles was heard by the girl, who rapidly approached 
them, and stated that they were now in the midst of the Indian wig- 
wams, and their lives depended on the most profound silence, and im- 
plicitly following her footsteps. A moment afterwards, the girl was ac- 
costed by a squaw from an opening in a wigwam. She replied in the 



14 

Indian language, and without stopping still pressed forward. In a short 
time she stopped and assured the scouts that the village was cleared, 
and that they were now in safety. She knew that every pass leading 
out of the prairie was safely guarded by Indians, and at once resolved 
to adopt the bold adventure of passing through the very center of their 
village as the least hazardous. The result proved the correctness of her 
judgment. They now kept a course for the Ohio, being guided by the 
Hockhocking river — and after three days march and suffering, the par- 
ty arrived at the Block-house in safety. Their escape from the Indians 
prevented the contemplated attack : and the rescued girl proved to be 
the sister of the intrepid Neil Washburn, celebrated in Indian history 
as the renowned scout to Captain Kenton's bloody Kentuckians. 

The principal facts of this narrative were given by the brother of 
M'Clelland, to a citizen of Lancaster — and the adventures related 
prove that, "truth is sometimes stranger th&njiction." 

On the 17th of May, 1796, Congress, with a view, no doubt, to the 
early settlement of their acquired possesions by the treaty of Greenville, 
passed an act, granting to Ebenezer Zane three tracts of land, not ex- 
ceeding one mile square each, in consideration that he would open a 
road on the most eligible route between Wheeling, Virginia and Lime- 
stone, (now Maysville,) Kentucky. Zane performed his part of the 
contract in the same year, and selected one of the grants on the Hock- 
hocking river, where the town of Lancaster now stands. The road was 
opened by only blazing the trees, and cutting out the underbrush, which 
gave it more the appearance of an Indian path or trace than a road, and 
from that circumstance it took the name of " Zone's Trace" a name 
it bore for many years after the settlement of the country. It passed 
through the present county of Fairfield, crossing the Hockhocking river 
at a ripple or fording about three hundred yards below the turnpike 
bridge, west of the present town of Lancaster, and was called the 
" Crossings of the Hockhocking." This was the first attempt to 
open a public highway through the interior of the North Western Ter- 
ritory. 

In 1797, Zane's Trace having opened a communication between the 
eastern States and Kentucky, many individuals, from both directions, 
wishing to better their condition in life, by emigrating and settling in 
the " back-woods," then so called, visited the Hockhocking Valley for 
that purpose and finding the country surpassingly fertile — abounding in 
fine springs of the purest water, determined to make it their new home. 

In April, 1798, Captain Joseph Hunter, a bold and enterprising 



15 

man, with his family, emigrated from Kentucky and settled on Zane's 
Trace, upon the bank of the prairie, west of the crossings, and about 
one hundred and fifty yards north-west of the present turnpike road, 
and was called " Hunter's Settlement." Here Captain Hunter clear- 
ed off the underbrush, felled the forest trees, and erected a cabin, at a 
time when he had not a neighbor nearer than the Muskingum or Scioto 
rivers. This was the commencement of the first settlement in the Up- 
per Hockhocking Valley — and Captain Hunter is regarded as the 
founder of the flourishing and populous county of Fairfield. He lived 
to see the country densely settled, and in a high state of improvement — 
and paid the debt of nature about fifteen years ago. His aged compan- 
ion, Mrs. Dorothy Hunter, yet lives, enjoying the kind and affection- 
ate attentions of her family, and the respect and esteem of her acquaint- 
ance. She was the first white woman that settled in the Valley, and 
shared with her late husband all the toils, sufferings, hardships and pri- 
vations incident to the formation of the new settlement, without a mur- 
mur or word of complaint. During the spring of the same year, Na- 
thaniel Wilson, the elder John Green, Allen Green, John and 
Joseph M'Mullen, Robert Cooper, Isaac Shaffer, and a few oth 
ers reached the Valley — erected cabins and put out a crop of corn. 

In 1799, Levi Moore, Abraham Bright, Major Bright, Ishslel 
Due and Jesse Spurgeon, emigrated with their families from Allegheny 
county, Maryland, and settled near where Lancaster now stands. Part 
of the company came through by land from Pittsburgh, with then horses. 
and part, with their wagons and other goods, descended the Ohio in 
boats to the mouth of the Hockhocking, and thence ascended the latter 
stream in canoes, to the mouth of Rushcreek. The trace from Wheel- 
ing to the Hockhocking at that time was, in almost its entire length, a 
wilderness, and did not admit of the passage of wagons. The land par- 
ty of men, on reaching the Valley, went down to the mouth of the Hock- 
hocking and assisted the water party up. They were ten clays in as- 
cending the river, having upset their canoes several times and damaged 
their goods. 

Levi Moore settled, with Jesse Spurgeon, three miles below Lan- 
caster. The Brights and Due also settled in the neighborhood. These 
pioneers are all dead, except Mr. Moore. He resides near Winchester, 
in Fairfield county, blessed with all this world can give to make him 
happy. 

In 1799, the tide of emigratirn set in with great force. In the spring 
of this year two settlements were made in the present township of Green- 



16 

field. Each settlement contained twenty or thirty families — one was 
called the Forks of the Hockhocking, and the other Yankee Town. 
Settlements were also made along the river below Hunter's, on Rush- 
creek, Raccoon and Indian Creeks — Pleasant Run, Fetters' Run, at 
Tobeytown, Muddy Prairie, and on Clearcreek. In the fall of 1799, 
Joseph Loveland and Hezekiah Smith erected a log grist-mill at the 
upper falls of the Hockhocking, now called the Rock Mill. This was 
the first grist-mill built on the Hockhocking river. They also erected, 
at the same place, the first distillery, (then called a "still-house.") 
This, however, after a few years, proved a heavy curse to the neighbor- 
hood, by destroying the peace and happiness of many respectable fami- 
lies, (as all still-houses do,) broke up both of its projectors, and finally 
drove them out of the country. David and Henry Shallenberger 
built a log grist-mill on the river three miles below Hunter's settlement. 

In April, of 1799, Samuel Coates, sen., and Samuel Coates, jr., 
from England, built a cabin on the prairie, at the " Crossings of the 
Hockhocking," kept bachelor's hall and raised a crop of corn. In the 
latter part of the year a mail route was established along Zane's Trace 
from Wheeling to Limestone. The mail was carried on horseback, and 
was transported through at first, once a week. Samuel Coates, sen., 
was appointed Postmaster, and kept his oflice at the Crossings. This 
was the first established mail route through the interior of the Territory, 
and Samuel Coates was the first Postmaster in the new settlement. 

James Converse, in 1799, brought from Marietta, by way of the 
Ohio and Hockhocking rivers, nearly a canoe load of merchandise, and 
opened a very large and general assortment of dry goods and groceries, 
in a cabin at Hunter's Settlement. He displayed his specimen goods 
on the corners of the cabin and upon the stumps and limbs of the trees 
before his door, dispensing with the use of flags altogether — he, of 
course was a modest man. 

The General Government directed the public domain to be surveyed. 
The lands were laid off in sections of one hundred and forty acres, and 
then subdivided into half and quarter sections. Elnathan Scofield, 
our late fellow-citizen, was engaged in that service. 

In 1800, 1801 and 1802, emigrants in great numbers continued to 
arrive, and settlements were formed in the more distant parts of the 
county. Cnbin-rai sings, clearings and log-rollings were in progress 
in almost every direction. The settlers lent each other aid in their rais- 
ings and other heavy operations requiring many hands. By thus mu- 
tually assisting one another, they were all enabled, in due season, to 



17 

provide themselves with cabins to live in, and prepare their clearings 
for farming. The log cabin was of paramount consideration. After the 
spot was selected, logs cut and hauled, and clapboards made, the erec- 
tion was but the work of a day. They were of rude construction, but 
not always uncomfortable. And as they have, to a great extent, passed 
away, and appear to us, at this day, as things that have been, I have 
taken the liberty of extracting from Kendall's life of Gren. Jackson, 
(a very valuable and highly interesting work,) the following descrip- 
tion of them. Its elegance of style and accuracy cannot be surpassed : 
" The log cabin is the primitive abode of the agricultural population 
throughout western America. Almost the only tools possessed by the 
first settlers were axes, hatchets, knives, and a few augurs. They had 
neither saw-mills nor carpenters, bricks nor masons, nails nor glass. 
Logs notched and laid across each other at the ends, making a pen in 
the form of a square or parallelogram, answered the purposes of timbers 
and weatherboarding, and constituted the body of the structure. The 
gable ends were constructed of the same materials, kept in place by 
large poles, extending lengthwise of the building from end to end. Up 
and down upon these poles, lapping over like shingles, were laid clap- 
boards split out of oak logs, and resembling staves, which were kept in 
their place by other poles laid upon them, and confined at the gable 
ends. Roofs of this sort, well constructed, were a sufficient protection 
from ordinary storms. The crevices between the logs, if large, were 
filled with small stones, chips, or bits of wood, called ' chinking,' and 
plastered over with mud, inside and out ; if small, the plastering alone 
was sufficient. The earth was often the only floor • but in general, 
floors were made of ' puncheons,' or slabs split from logs, hewed smooth 
and resting on poles. The 'lofts,' or attics, sometimes had puncheon 
floors, and rough ladders were the stairways. Chimneys were built of 
logs rudely dovetailed from the outside into those constituting one end 
of the structure, which were cut to make room for a fire-place, termina- 
ting at the top with split sticks notched into each other, the whole thick- 
ly plastered with mud on the inside. Stones laid in mud formed the 
jams and backs of the broad fire-places. The doors, made of clapboards, 
or thin puncheons pinned to cross pieces, were hung on wooden hinges 
and had wooden latches. Generally they had no windows ; the open 
door or broad chimney admitted light by day, and a rousing fire or 
grease lamp was the resource by night, In the whole building there 
was neither metal nor glass. Sometimes, however a part of a log was 
cut out for a window, with a piece of sliding puncheon to close it. As 
2 



18 

soon as the mechanic and merchant appeared, sashes with two or four 
lights might he seen, set into gaps cut through the logs. Contempo- 
raneously, old barrels began to constitute the tops of chimneys, and 
joists and plank, sawed by hand, took the place of puncheons. 

' ' The furniture of the primitive log cabin was but little superior to 
the structure. They contained little beyond puncheon benches and 
stools or blocks of wood for tables and chairs, a small kettle or two, an- 
swering the manifold purposes of buckets, boilers and ovens, and a scan- 
ty supply of plates, knives, forks and spoons, all which had been pack- 
ed on horseback through the wilderness. Bedsteads they had none, and 
their bedding was a blanket or two, with bear and deer skins in abund- 
ance." 

The early settlers were a hardy and industrious people, and for frank- 
ness and hospitality have not been surpassed by any community. The 
men labored upon their farms and the women in their cabins. Their 
clothing was of a simple and comfortable kind. The women clothed 
their families with their own hands — spinning and weaving for all their 
inmates the necessary linen and woolen clothing. At that day no 
cabins were to be found without their spinning wheels, and it was the 
proud boast of the females that they could use them. As an evidence 
of their industry and saving of time, it was not an unfrequent occur- 
rence to see a good wife sitting spinning in her cabin, upon an earthen 
floor, turning her wheel with one foot and rocking her babe in a sugar 
trough with the other. 

The people at that day, when opportunity offered, (and that was not 
often,) attended to public worship j and it was nothing new nor strange 
to see a man at church with his rifle, — his object was to kill a buck 
either going or coming. 

The settlers subsisted principally on corn-bread, potatoes, milk and 
butter, and wild meats. Flour, tea and coffee were scarcely to be had, 
and when brought to the country, such prices were asked as to put it 
out of the reach of many to purchase. Salt was an indispensable article 
and cost, at the Scioto Salt Works, five dollars for every fifty pounds. 
Flour brought $16 per barrel; tea $2,50 ; coffee $1,50 ; spice $1, and 
pepper $1 per pound. 

FIRST FUNERAL. 

William Green, an emigrant, soon after his arrival, sickened and 
died in May, 1798, and was buried in a hickory-bark coffin, on the west 
bank of Fetters' run, a few rods north of the old Zanesville road, east 
of Lancaster. This was the first death and burial of a settler on the 



19 

Hockhocking. Col. Robert Wilson, of Hocking township, was pres- 
ent and assisted at the funeral. The deceased had left his family near 
Wheeling, and came on to build a cabin and raise a crop. 

FOURTH OF JULY, 1800. 
In the year 1800, for the first time in the Hockhocking settlement, 
the settlers, men, women and children, assembled upon the knoll in the 
prairie, hi front of the present toll-house, on the pike, west of Lancas- 
ter, and celebrated- the anniversary of American Independence. They 
appointed no president or other officers of the day — no oration deliver- 
ed, nor toasts drank. They manifested their joy by shouting "hurrah 
for America," firing off their rifles, shooting at targets and devouring a 
public dinner. It may not be improper to say that their repast was 
served up in magnificent style. Although they had neither tables, 
benches, dishes, plates or forks, every substantial in the way of a feast, 
was amply provided, such as baked pone and johny-cake, roasted bear's 
meat, jerk, turkey, &c. The assemblage dispersed at a timely hour in 
the afternoon, and returned to their cabins, full of patriotism and love 
of country. It was my fortune to be present on that interesting occasion. 

NEW LANCASTER. 

In the fall of 1800, Ebenezer Zane laid out this town, and by way 
of compliment to a number of emigrants from Lancaster county, Penn- 
sylvania, called it New Lancaster. It retained that name until 1805, 
when, by an act of the Legislature, the word "New" was dropped. 
There were then many inequalities in the surface of the town plat, which 
we do not now perceive. Where Center Alley crosses Wheeling, Main 
and Chestnut streets, a pond or swail has been filled up, from two to 
five and six feet. There was another pond in Main street four or five 
rods east of the canal, which has been filled two or three feet. Several 
marshy places have been filled in other parts of Wheeling and Chestnut 
streets. These ponds and marshes, were not confined to the streets 
alone, but covered some of the adjacent lots. The plat of the town was 
covered in many places with heavy forest timber, such as the various 
kinds of oaks, sugar-tree, walnut, wild cherry, ash, buckeye, &c. The 
underwood consisted principally of wild plumb, paw-paw and hazel, pro- 
ducing delicious fruits, and spice wood. 

A sale of the lots took place soon after the town was laid off, and 
sold to purchasers at prices ranging from five to fifty dollars each, ac- 
cording to situation. The greater portion of the purchasers were me- 
chanics, and they immediately set about putting up log buildings. 



20 

Much of the material needed for that purpose was found upon their lots 
and in the streets, and so rapidly did the work of improvement progress 
during the fall of 1800, and following winter, that in the spring of 1801, 
the principal streets and alleys assumed their present shapes, and gave 
assurance to the beholder that New Lancaster would at no distant day, 
become a town of some importance. 

About this time merchants and professional men made then appear- 
ance. James Converse, Mathews & Scofield, Wm. & C. King, Thomas 
Hart and John Creed commenced merchandizing:. 

Robert F. Slaughter, Alexander White, Philoman Beecher, William 
W. Irvin and Elijah B. Merwin opened law offices. 

Drs. William Ervin, Amasa Delanoe, John Kerr, and Ezra Torrenee 
commenced the practice of physic. 

The Rev. John Wright, of the Presbyterian Church, settled in Lan- 
caster in 1801, and the Rev. Asa Shinnand Rev. James Quinn, of the 
Methodist Church, traveled on the Fairfield circuit. 

Shortly after the settlement of New Lancaster, and while the stumps 
of the trees yet remained in the streets, a small portion of the settlers 
deemed it their privilege to take, occasionally, a small jollification or 
spree, ending frequently in kicking up a dust, or what we would now 
call a fight. The better disposed part of the population, in the absence 
of law, took it into their heads to put a stop to the growing evil ; and 
accordingly met and resolved that any citizen of the town found in a 
state of intoxication, should, for every such offence, dig a stump out of 
the streets, or suffer a licking.. The spreeing party swore most lustily 
that the law was unconstitutional, and that they would not submit to it. 
Convictions soon after took place, and the law-making power after lick- 
ing some half a dozen, enforced obedience. The result was, that after 
several offenders had expiated their crimes, dram-drinking ceased, and 
all became, for a time, a sober, temperate and happy people. This was, 
perhaps, the first Temperance Society established west of the Allegheny 
Mountains. 

FAIRFIELD COUNTY. 

On the 9th day of December, 1800, the Governor and Council of 
the North Western Territory, organized the county of Fairfield, and 
designated New Lancaster as the seat of justice. The county then 
contained within its limits all, or nearly all, of the present counties of 
Licking and Knox ; a large portion of Perry, and small portions of 
Pickaway and Hocking counties. By subsequent enactments of the 
Legislature of the State, it has been reduced to its present limits. 



21 

The county contains thirteen townships, which were set off and incor- 
porated hi the following years, and named as follows : 

Clear creek — In 1803, and took its name from a creek running through 
its north-western border. 

Hocking — In 1803, and received its name from the Hockhocking 
river. 

Richland — In 1803. The fertility of the soil in the eastern part of 
the county gave rise to the name of this township. 

Rusher eek — This township was set off in 1803, and named from a 
creek passing through it. 

Berne — Gen. Samuel Carpenter, a prominent citizen of the county 
at that time, named this township Berne from the Canton of Berne, in 
Switzerland, from which his ancesters emigrated to America. 

Amanda — William Hamilton, Esq., the first county surveyor of 
Fairfield county, called this township Amanda from some fancy he had 
for the name. 

Greenfield — Incorporated in 1805, and named from the green fields, 
or prairies, within its limits. 

Pleasant — In 1805, and named from a creek running through it of 
the same name. 

Bloom — Set off in 1805, and named Bloom by Court- 
right, Esq., one of its earliest inhabitants. 

Violet — In 1808. This township received its name from the flow- 
ers which grew in great variety in its western limits. 

Liberty — The first settlers of this township were principally from 
Switzerland, and coming as they did from a land of oppression to a land 
of liberty, and at their request, it was so named. 

Walnut — In 1807, and was called Walnut from the creek of that 
name, and its fine walnut bottoms of land. 

Madison — Laid off in 1809, and so called in honor of James Madi- 
son, one of the Presidents of the United States. 

I deem it not out of place to state that the townships of Beading, 
Thorn, Hopewell, Pike and Jackson were organized by the commission- 
ers of Fairfield county, and now form part of Perry county. 

Reading toivnship was named by Peter Buermeyer, a pioneer set- 
tler, from Beading, Pennsylvania. He also laid out the town of New 
Beading in that township. Somerset, the seat of justice of Perry coun- 
ty, is situated in this township. 

Thorn took its name from the numerous thorn bushes and trees then 
growing upon its fertile soil. 



22 

Pike. — This township was named in honor of Gen. Pike, who gal- 
lantly fell in defence of his country at Toronto, Canada, in the war 
of 1812. 

Jackson — Named in honor of Gen. Andrew Jackson. 

Saltcreek township formerly belonged to Fairfield, but now forms 
part of Pickaway county. It was named from Saltcreek, a stream wa- 
tering its territory. Tarlton, a flourishing village, is in this township. 

Falls township, now in Hocking county, was named from the great 
Falls of the Hockhocking river. 

Perry township, in Hocking township, was so called in honor of 0. 
H. Perry, the hero of Lake Erie, in 1813. This township was stricken 
from Fairfield and attached to Hocking. 

The first court of General Quarter Sessions, was held in the county 
of Fairfield, on the 12th day of January, 1801. Emanuel Carpen- 
ter, sen., presiding Justice ; Nathaniel Wilson and Samuel Carpenter 
associate Justices of the Peace, on the bench. The court convened in 
a loo- school house on the alley, between Front and Second streets. 

Joseph Vanhorn was appointed Prothonatory, and Samuel Kratzer 
Sheriff. 

Alexander White, Michael Baldwin, William Creighton and Robert 
F. Slaughter appeared as attorneys and counsellers at law. 

The court appointed Nathaniel Wilson, jr., Jacob Vanmeter and 
James Denny Commissioners of the county. 

The following persons were impanneled and sworn as thejirst grand 
inquest for the county of Fairfield, viz : 

James Converse, Foreman — Abraham Wather, Arthur Teal, Jeremiah 
Conaway, Robert McMurtry, Abraham Funk, Conrod Fetters, Samuel 
Coates, Thomas Cassina, Amasa Delanoe, John McMullen, Joseph 
McMullen, Edward Teal, David Rees and Barnabas Golden. It does 
not appear that the jury made any presentments at this term. 

At the second term of the court held on the 2d Monday of April, 
1801, Emanuel Carpenter, Nathaniel Wilson and Samuel Carpenter 
Justices on the bench ; a case was tried which created a good deal of 
interest among the new settlers. It was this : Joseph Work charged 
one Samuel Jewell with shooting his colt, and brought his suit to recov- 
er damages. 

Robert F. Slaughter and William Creighton appeared for the plaintiff, 
and Alexander White and Michael Baldwin for the defendant. 

The following named persons were impannneled and sworn to try the 
case, viz : 



23 

John Edgar, Foreman — John McMullen, John Bryan, William 
Springer, John Roads, Joseph Howe, William McCarty, John Nerod, 
James Converse, Sylvester Lyons, Joseph Stewart and Alex. Dennison. 

It appeared in evidence that the defendant was hunting ducks — that 
he shot at a duck in the river, killed it, and the ball glancing at an an- 
gle of about twenty-five degress hit plaintiff's colt and killed it also. 
Defendant admitted the killing, but contended that it was accidental, 
and that he ought not to be charged. This jury did not agree on a ver- 
dict, and were discharged. A new jury was forthwith impanneled and 
sworn, consisting of the following persons : 

John Boyle, Foreman — David Trainer, Arthur O'Harra, Jacob 
Loofborough, Jesse Willets, James Brooks, Samuel Hamel, Emanuel 
Carpenter, jr., George Coflinberry, Beel Fabbs, Jacob Addison and 
James Jarvis. This jury brought in a verdict of $16 16 for the plain- 
tiff. This was the first action tried in the county of Fairfield. 

At the October term of the court this year Philemon Beecher appear- 
ed as Attorney at Law. 

William W. Irvin and Elijah B. Mervin commenced the practice of 
law in this or the following year. 

At the June term of 1802, Emanuel Carpenter, sen., Nathaniel 
Wilson and Amasa Delano, Justices on the bench, the court ordered 
the Sheriff to take Alexander White, Attorney at Law, into custody, 
and commit him to prison for one hour, for striking Robert F. Slaugh- 
ter, also an Attorney at Law, in presence of then honors when in ses- 
sion. I note this circumstance to show that the court, at that early pe- 
riod, did not suffer an indignity to pass unpunished. 

The first court of common pleas, for Fairfield county, after the State 
of Ohio had been admitted into the Union, commenced its session in 
May, 1803. 

Present — Willis Silliman, President of the 2d Judicial Circuit. 
Associates — Samuel Carpenter, Daniel Vanmeter and William Irvin. 

At this session the court appointed Hugh Boyle Clerk. 

Samuel Kratzer continued to act as Sheriff, and Johnathan Lynch 
Coroner. 

The following persons were impanneled and sworn as jurors at this term: 

Grand Jury — David Rees, Foreman — Hezekiah Smith, James 
Brooks, Isaac Meason, Thomas Rees, Joseph Hunter, Henry Miers, 
Jacob Lamb, John McMeens, Thomas Cissna, Frederick Leathers, 
Thomas McCall, Joseph Work, James Black, John Shipler, John Wills 
and David Shellenbarger. 



24 

Pettit Jury — George Coffinberry, Foreman — James Hunter, 
James Wilson, Alexander Wilson, Isaac Willits, George Kester, Eman- 
uel Carpenter, jr,, William Harper, JohnNeely, Abraham Funk, Will- 
iam Davis and Alexander Sanderson. 

In 1803, Hugh Boyle was appointed Clerk of the Supreme Court 
for Fairfield county, and held the office until his death. 

CONVENTION ELECTION. 

The first popular election held in the county of Fairfield was for two 
members of the Convention to form the Constitution of the State of 
Ohio. It took place on the 12th of October, 1802, and the following 
was the result of the poll : 

Emanuel Carpenter, sen., received - - 228 votes. 

Henry Abrams, "-■-.- 181 

Eobert F. Slaughter, " - - - 168 

Philemon Beecher, " - - - 144 

William Trimble, " - - - 124 

Samuel Carpenter, " - - - 15 

Samnel Kratzer, " - - - 4 

Ebenezer Larimer, " -— 1 

Brice Sterrit, "... 1 

Hugh Boyle, "... 1 

The two first named were elected. 

The members of the Convention assembled at Chillicothe on the first 
day of November 1802, and organized by the election of Dr. Edward 
Tiffin, President, and Thomas Scott, Secretary, and after framing the 
first constitution of the State of Ohio, adjourned on the 29th of the same 
month. The constitution was not submitted to the people, but to Con- 
gress for approval — and on the 1st day of March, 1803, the State of 
Ohio was admitted into the Union as a sovereign State. It is now the 
third in point of population and wealth. 

The following are brief biographies of the two members of the Con- 
vention from the county of Fairfield : 

Emanuel Carpenter, Sen., was born in Earl township, Lancaster 
county, in the Province of Pennsylvania, on the 2d day of October, 
1743. His ancestors were from the Canton of Berne, Switzerland, from 
whence, on account of the persecutions of that day, they emigrated to 
America, and from William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, ac- 
quired a large body of land on Conestoga and Piqua Creeks, in Lancas- 
ter county, upon which the subject of this sketch was born. He served 
as a Lieutenant in the war of the Revolution, and on his return from 



25 

service, was frequently chosen to represent the county of Lancaster in 
the General Assembly of his native State. He was a member at the 
time Gen. Washington addressed a last appeal to that body for supplies, 
without which, he would have been compelled to have disbanded his 
suffering troops. The appeal was promptly met, and mainly by the ex- 
ertions of Mr. Carpenter, as one of the committee appointed for that 
purpose, in furnishing money and other means, thereby the Pennsylva- 
nia line in service were relieved of their wants, and the gloomy cause of 
the country nobly sustained. 

In the year 1800, Mr. Carpenter removed from the State of his na- 
tivity, and settled in the Hockhocking Valley, near where the town of 
Lancaster now stands. After the organization of the State hi 1803, he 
was elected and served for several years as Associate Judge of the court 
of common pleas of Fairfield county. The infirmities of old age press- 
ing upon him, and a desire for repose, induced hhn to retire from pub- 
lic life several years before his death. He passed the last years of his 
life at the hospitable residence of his near kinsman Mr. David Carpen- 
ter, near Lancaster. He died on the 20th of March, 1823. 

He was a farmer by profession — of industrious and temperate hab- 
its, of a sound and discriminating mind — educated in and spoke the 
English and German languages — a man of strict integrity and patriot- 
ic feeling, and died as he had lived, bearing the character of an honest 
man. 

Henry Abrams was born in the county of Rockingham, in the Pro- 
vince of Virginia in 1753. His ancestors were from Wales. In 1765, 
his father, of the same name, removed his family to Bedford county, 
Pennsylvania, and after a short residence in Bedford crossed the Alle- 
gheny Mountains, and fixed his permanent abode in Turkeyfoot settle- 
ment, now j)art of Somerset county, Pennsylvania. Here young Hen- 
ry Abrams continued to reside until 1795, when he emigrated into and 
settled, for a short time, in Clark county Kentucky. 

In 1797, he removed his family and erected his cabin about one mile 
below the city of Chillicothe, Ohio, where he lived until the spring of 
1801, when he purchased, at the sales of the public lands in that year, 
in Chillicothe, a tract of land ten and a half miles north-west of Lan- 
caster, Fairfield county, where he spent the remainder of his days. 

Soon after the admission of Ohio into the Union he was elected and 
served two constitutional terms as Associate Judge of the common pleas 
court of Fairfield county — was appointed and served several years as 
Trustee of the Ohio University, and took a deep interest in its success 



26 

and usefulness. He also served in various other minor offices, all which 
he filled with signal satisfaction to all concerned. 

In stature he was about six feet in heighth, and remarkably well form- 
ed — well calculated to endure extreme fatigue, a necessary qualification 
for a pioneer settler. Although his education was limited his mind was 
naturally strong and his discrimination quick — in his habits he was cor- 
rect, and in his friendships sincere and constant. He had a fine taste 
for music, and was naturally given to good humor and hilarity. He 
was of a kind and charitable disposition and of almost unbounded hos- 
pitality. 

Henry Abrams was a farmer, and a good one — was fond of his rifle, 
and an excellent hunter. In early times it was his custom to devote a 
month or more to the pursuit of wild game, aud by that means furnished 
his family with provisions for the forthcoming year — a great relief at a 
time when provisions of a better kind conld not be had. 

On the 28th of November, 1821, he closed a life of usefulness, in 
the 69th year of his age, and his remains lie in the family burial ground 
of his son-in-law Geo. Sanderson, in Lancaster. 

MRS. RUHAMA GREEN. 

I cannot close this lecture, in justice to my own feelings, without giv- 
ing a brief history of the life, captivity by the Indians, and sufferings of 
Mrs. Ruhama Green, one of the earliest settlers of Fairfield county. 

Mrs. Ruhama Green was born and raised in Jefferson county, Vir- 
ginia. In 1785, she married a Mr. Charles Bilderback, and with 
him crossed the mountains and settled at the mouth of Short Creek, on 
the east bank of the Ohio river, a few miles above Wheeling. At that 
time, and for several years after, the Indians were troublesome, and 
made frequent attacks on the new settlements, killing and capturing 
many of the settlers, and destroying and carrying off their property. 
Charles Bilderback was a brave and resolute man, and had, on 
many occasions, distinguished himself in repelling and driving them 
back. The Indians having felt, on more than one occasion, the effects 
of his sure aim, and deadly rifle, had determined, at all hazards, to kill 
him. On a beautiful summer day in June, 1789, and at a time when 
it was thought that the enemy had abandoned the western shores of the 
river to the settlers, Charles Bilderback, his wife and brother Ja- 
cob Bilderback, crossed the Ohio, to look after some cattle, which 
had been placed there some time before, for pasture. After reaching the 
shore, and securing their canoe, a party of Indians, fifteen or twenty in 
number, rushed out from an ambush, fired upon them and wounded 



27 

Jacob Bilderback in the shoulder. Charles attempted to make his 
escape by running, but the Indians had too well matured their plans — 
he was surrounded and taken. Jacob returned to the canoe, paddled 
out into the stream and got away. In the mean time Mrs. Bilderback, 
unperceived by the foe, hid herself in some drift-wood near the bank of 
the river. As soon as the Indians had secured Charles, by binding his 
arms with straps of buckskin leather, preparatory to a hasty retreat, and 
not being able to discover her hiding place, compelled him, by threats 
of immediate death, to call to her to come to him. With a hope af ap- 
peasing their fury, he did so. She heard him, but made no answer. 
" Here," to use the words of this good woman, " a struggle took place 
in my breast which I cannot describe. Shall I go to him and become a 
prisoner, or shall I remain — return to our cabin and provide for and 
take care of our two children." He shouted to her a second time to 
come to him, saying to her " that if she obeyed perhaps it would be the 
means of saving his life." She no longer hesitated — left her place of 
safety, went to him and surrendered herself a prisoner to his savage cap- 
tors. All this took place in full view of their cabin, on the opposite 
side of the river, and where they had left their two children, one a son, 
about two years of age, and the other a daughter, a babe. The Indians 
knowing that they would be pursued as soon as the news of their visit 
reached the stockade at Wheeling, commenced their retreat. Mrs. 
Bilderback and her husband traveled together that day and the fol- 
lowing night. Next morning the Indians separated into two bands, one 
taking Bilderback, and the other his wife, and continued a westward 
course by different routes. In a few days the band having Mrs. Bil- 
derback in custody, reached the Tuscarawas river, where they encamp- 
ed, and where they were soon rejoined by the band that had her hus- 
band in charge. Here the murderers exhibited his scalp, at the top of 
a pole, and to convince her that they had killed him, pulled it down and 
threw it into her lap. She recognized it at once, by the redness of his 
hair. She said nothing — made no complaint. In her grief she silent- 
ly thanked them for sparing her the mortification of witnessing his hor- 
rid death. It was evening — her ears pained with terrific whoops and 
yells of the savages, and wearied, by constant traveling, she reclined 
agamst a tree, fell into a profound sleep and forgot all her sufferings 
until morning. When she awoke the scalp of her murdered husband 
was gone, and she never learned what became of it. As soon as the 
capture of Bilderback was known at Wheeling, a party of scouts set 
off in pursuit, and took the trail of the band that had taken him, and fol- 



28 

lowed until they found his body. He had been tomahawked and scalp- 
ed and apparently had suffered a lingering death. The scouts then re- 
turned. 

The Indians, in a day or two after their meeting at the Tuscarawas 
river, left with Mrs. Bilderback for their towns on the Big Miami riv- 
er. On reaching their place of destination she was adopted into a fami- 
ly, with whom she continued to reside until released from captivity. 
She remained a prisoner about nine months, performing the labor and 
drudgery of the squaws — such as carrying in meat from the hunting 
grounds, preparing and drying it, making mockasins, leggings and oth- 
er clothing for the family in which she was placed. After her adop- 
tion she suffered much from the rough and filthy manner of Indian liv- 
ing, but had no cause to complain of ill-treatment otherwise. 

In a few months after her capture some friendly Indians informed the 
commandant at Fort Washington (now Cincinnati) that a white woman 
was held in captivity at the Miami towns, and that it was told them she 
was taken near Wheeling, Virginia. This led to inquiry, and it was 
soon ascertained that the woman spoken of was Mrs. Bilderback. She 
was ransomed, and brought into the fort, where she was received and 
treated in the most hospitable manner by the citizens residing at that 
post. After remaining a few weeks at the fort, she was placed in a ca- 
noe, with a suitable guard, and sent up the river to her lonely cabin, and 
to the embrace of her two orphan children. She then re-crossed the 
mountains, and settled in her native county. 

In 1791, Mrs. Bilderback married Mr. John Green, and in 1798 
they emigrated to the Hockhocking Valley, and settled about three miles 
west of Lancaster, where she gave birth to the first white male child in 
Fairfield county,- and where she continued to reside until the time of her 
death, which occurred about nine years ago. She survived her last hus- 
band about ten years. Mrs. Green lived to an advanced age, having, 
through a long life of sunshine and shade, discharged the various duties 
of wife, mother and neighbor, in the most exemplary manner. 

The foregoing narrative I had from Mrs. Green herself, except the 
part that relates to the scouts, which I had from the late Col. Charles 
Williams, of Coshocton, who was one of the pursuing party. 

ANCIENT FORTIFICATIONS. 

There are several ancient fortifications in the county of Fairfield. 
The most noted one is that upon the heights of the Rock Mill, seven 
miles north-west of Lancaster. The following is a survey and descrip- 



29 



tion by E. Gr. Squier and E. H. Davis, and published by the Smith- 
sonian Institute : 




" This work is remarkable as being the only one entirely regular in 
its plan, which has yet been discovered occupying the summit of a hill. 
It is situated on the road from Lancaster, Fairfield county, Ohio, to Co- 
lumbus, the capital of the State, seven miles distant from the former 
place, near a point known as the ' Hockhocking River Upper Falls,' or 
' Rock Mill.' It consists of a small square measuring four hundred 
and twenty feet on each side, in combination with two small circles, one 
hundred and twenty-five and two hundred and ten feet in diameter re- 
spectively. The hill is nearly two hundred feet in height, with a slight- 
ly undulating plain of small extent on its summit. The works are so 
arranged that the small circle enclosing the mound overlooks every part 
and commands a wide prospect on every hand. Towards the brow of the 
hill, at prominent points, are two eliptical terraces or elevations of small 
size. The sides of the square enclosure correspond to the cardinal points. 
The walls, excepting those of the circular structure, are very light, and 
unaccompanied by a ditch. The work is clearly not of a defensive ori- 
gin, and must be classed with those of similar outline occupying the 
river terraces." 

There is alse a fort, or fortification upon the Baugher farm, six miles 
in a northern direction from Lancaster. It consists of walls in direct 
lines, and contains ten or twelve acres. 

In Berne township, five miles below Lancaster, and near Ream's Mill, 
are, I am told, four fortifications, of square forms, and lying adjacent to 



30 

each other. All the forts I have mentioned are encompassed by walls 
from two to six feet in height — and have gateways. 

TOBEYTOWN. 

This was an ancient Indian town, and thickly populated by the Dela- 
ware and Wyandotte tribes, previous to Wayne's treaty, in 1795. It 
was governed by a Delaware Chief called Tobey, from which the early 
settlers named it Tobeytown. Its location is ten miles west of Lancas- 
ter, on the southern boundary of Bloom township, Fairfield county. In 
1799, Horatio Clark, and Wilkinson Lane, with then families emi- 
grated from Bedford county, Pennsylvania, and settled near the town. 
They were the first settlers in the neighborhood. James Kelley and 
Broad Cole settled soon after. Clark built his cabin in sight of the 
town, and at this day, the original plat is covered by a fine orchard of 
fruit trees, planted by his own hands. Mrs. Bebecca Clark, the ven- 
erable relic of Horatio Clark, says that in plowing up the ground 
where the town stood, they frequently found old gun barrels, knives, 
bullets, pipes, bits of silver, and human bones. The main town had 
been destroyed about the time of the treaty of Greenville, and it was 
said that it was done by a party of white people from the western part 
of Virginia. Notwithstanding its destruction the Indians settled round 
about it, and were living there when Clark and Lane made their settle- 
ments. The names of the Chiefs, or principal men of the tribes being 
about Tobeytown at the time of the appearance of the first settlers were 
Billy Wyandotte, Cherokee John and Standing Stone. These 
were their English names — their Indian names are not recollected. 

Horatio Clark and Wilkinson Lane, after having lived long lives 
of usefulness, not only to themselves and community, but to the new 
country of their adoption, have long since rested from their labors. Wil- 
kinson Lane was the father of Bebecca Clark. She yet lives and en- 
joys the respect of the present generation. 

BEMINISCENCES OF THE WAB OF 1812. 

The following are correct lists of two companies commanded by Capt. 
George Sanderson in the war with Great Britain : 

CAMPAIGN OF 1812— VOLUNTEERS. 

This company was raised in the month of April, 1812, in the county 
of Fairfield, by volunteer enrollment, for the term of one year, and 
formed part of the Begiment of Ohio Volunteers commanded by Col. 
Lewis Cass, and was captured with the whole of the American army 
at Fort Detroit, on the 16th August, 1812, by the British army under 
General Brock — and suffered to return home on parol, and not serve 



31 

against Great Britain until exchanged. That exchange did not take 
place until May, 1814. A few of the men were so exasperated at the 
disgraceful conduct of Gen. Hull, on that unfortunate occasion, that 
they disregarded their parol, and joined General Harrison in the spring 
of 1813, and continued in actual service until the decisive battle of the 
Thames, in Canada, gave peace to the north-western portion of the 
United States— Capt. Sanderson was one of them. The company was ful- 
ly organized on the 19th of April, 1812, by the following named officer : 
Captain, Geo. Sanderson — Lieutenant, David McCabe— .EWW 
Isaac Larimer. 

Sergeants— John Vanmeter, John Smith, James Larimer and Isaac 
Painter. 

Corporals— James White, Daniel Hudson, Robert Cunningham and 
William Wallace. 

Privates — George Baker, William Brubeck, Daniel Baker, Robert 
Cunningham, John Dugan, John Davis, William Edmunds, Rees Fit* 
patnck, John Hiles, Christopher Hiles, Thomas Hardy, Phillip Hines 
Archibald Darnell, William Jenkinson, William Jenkins, Samuel John- 
son, I S aac Finkbone, John Kirley, Joseph Lofflland, John Collins 
Charles Martin, John M'Intire, Jacob Monteith, Jonas Monteith, Jacob 
Mellen, Daniel Miller, William Mc'Donald, William M'Clung Henry 
Martin, William Nelson, Joseph Oburn, Cornelius Post, William Ray 
John Swiler, Daniel Smith, Jacob Sharp, Thomas Short, Samuel Work' 
Joseph Whetson, Henry Shoupe, John Huffman and Samuel Nolan. 

CAMPAIGN OF 1813-14. 
This company was enlisted in the spring of the year 1813 for the 
term of one year, in the counties of Fairfield, Frankin and Delaware 
and a portion from the Western Reserve, gained by attachment from a 
company commanded by Captain Applegate, of Trumbull county, Ohio 
and formed part of the 27th Regiment of United States Infantry com- 
manded by Col. George Paul, of Belmont county. The part of the 
company was in the battle of the Thames, on the 5th October. The 
members of the company were honorably discharged at Fort Shelby, 
(Detroit,) in the spring and summer of the year 1814. Robert Mor- 
rison, of Belmont county, was Lieut. Colonel, and Thomas Pawland, 
of Columbiana county, Major of said 27th Regiment. They are all 
dead. The company was officered as follows : 

Captain, Geo. Sanderson —1st Lieut. Qr. Master, Abner P. Ris- 
^Y — 2dLieuts., Arory Buttles, Andrew Bushnell JohnH. Mip- 
'ord, Abraham Fisk- U Lieut, Ira Uo^b- Ensign, Wm. Hall 



32 

Sergeants — 1st, John Vanrneter ; 2d, Chancey Case; 3d, Robert 
Sanderson ; 4th, John Neibling ; 5th, Luther Edson. 

Corporals — 1st, John Dugan \ 2d, John Collings ; 3d Peter Garey; 
4th, Smith Headly ; 5th, Daniel T. Bartholomew. 

Musicians — John C. Sharp, drummer, and Adam Deeds fifer. 

Privates — William Anderson, Joseph Anderson, John Atkins, Jo- 
seph Alloways, Thomas Boyl, John Bartholomew, John Berryman, 
Henry Bixler, Abraham Bartholomew, Samuel Bartholomew, James 
Braden, Sheldon Beebee, James Brown, John Beaty, Eli Brady, Chas. 
Burdinoo, John Batteese, Daniel Baker, John Bussey, Thomas Bil- 
lings, Daniel Benjamin, Henry Case, Archibald Cassy, Joseph Clark, 
Holden R. Collins, Blades Cremens, Chester P. Cabe, William Cady, 
Nathan Case, Chancey Clark, Almon Carleton, Stephen Cook, David 
Crosby, Jesse Davis, Asa Draper, Walter Dunham, George Daugherty, 
Enos Devore, Benjamin Daily, John Evans, Joseph Ellinger, Peter, 
Fulk, John Forsythe, Daniel Filkall, John Faid, Ephriam Grimes, Wil- 
son L. Grates, Elrathan Gregory, Joseph Giboson, Samuel Gause, John 
Hunt, James Hagerty, Josiah Hinkley, John Hall, Frederick Hartman, 
David Hughs, Perlin Halcomb, John Harter, Jacob Headly, John Har- 
berson, John leas, Ambroce Joice, James Jones, John Johnston, Jas. 
Jackson, John L. Johnson, John Kisler, James Kincaid, George, Kys- 
inger, Jonathan Kittsmiller, Samuel Kinisman, Joseph Larhnon, Fred- 
erick Leathers, Henry Lief, Amos Leonard, Merinas W. Leonard, Wm. 
Lanther, John Mc' Clung, Peter Miller, Morris McGarvy, Joseph Mc- 
Clung, John McElwayne, Francis McCloud, Hosea Merrill, Jf t Mc- 
Cankey, Joshua Mullen, James More, Thomas Mapes, John McBride,. 
Wm. M' Clair, Henry, Mains, Andrew Miller, John McConnell, Alex. 
McCard, Wm. Haper, Isachar Nickerson, Geo. Osborn, Geo. Parks, 
Samuel Pratt, Powell Pain, Benj. Burkhart, Luther Palmer, Arzel 
Pierca, John Bay, David Bidenour, Wm. Beed, Geo. Baphy, Elijah 
Rogers, Asa Rose, Joseph Stratler, Henry Shadly, Christian B. Smith, 
Perry Spry, John Sunderland, Christian Shypower, David Severs, John 
Severs, Henry Skolls, Ephriam Summers, Henry C. Strait, Jonathan 
Sordan, Jacob Shoup, Chas. Smith, Mynder Shears, Adam Senor, John 
Smith, T. Sharp, S. Sheanor, G. Shadwick, S. Taylor, D. Taylor, J. 
Trovinger, F. Tesler, B. Thorp, F. Tucker, J. Thorp, J. Twaddle, P. Van 
Cleaf, J. Vanwy, A. Walker, A. White, J. Weaver, J. Wheeler, T. 
Wheattly, D. Walters, J. Wright, J. Welshans, C. Wolfly, F. Williams, 
W. Wallace, A.Wilson, W. Watson, J. Young, H. Zimmerman, D. Zeig- 
ler, D. Woodworth, S. Tyler, G. Tennis, L. Yan Wy, J. Wilson. 




